More free tickets for Virgin Mobile FreeFest; yes, there's still a chance to see Ludacris, T.I., M.I.A. gratis

Erik MazaBaltimore Sun reporter

From the Midnight Sun blog:

Those free tickets for Virgin Mobile FreeFest given away in July disappeared faster than the Jets' offense.

But nutty billionaire Richard Branson is still feeling magnanimous. Turns out the folks at FreeFest held on to several hundred tix to give away to people who donate hygiene kits to benefit homeless youth in Baltimore and Washington D.C.

On September 18, at least some 320 of them will be up for grabs at several area universities. That's when organizers will hold eight different drives to collect the kits. The first 40 residents who bring five Ziploc bags with five hygiene products - tampons, deodorant, etc - will receive a general admission ticket to the festival.

Organizers will be collecting bags at Towson, Johns Hopkins, Morgan State, Maryland, William & Mary, American, and Georgetown universities from noon to 3 p.m. But the drive is open to anyone over 16 who is a resident of the Baltimore-D.C. metropolitan area.

Sept. 18, is the only date that lists volunteer openings now, but there might be more before the festival Sept. 25, according to organizers.

But where to get the money to buy all those bags? One suggestion: grab the care packages your college roommate's mom has sent him. Or! just spend your lunch money kids. Think of each bag as a Ludacris, a Pavement, a T.I., or a Joan Jett.

For exact drive locations, go to www.virginmobilefreeip.com. A sample list of accepted hygienic products can be found here. The charities that will receive the kits are listed here; they include mostly charities from other states, but a couple like Sasha Bruce Youthwork and Covenant House have branches in Washington D.C.